Advice on how to learn how to make mods on my own.

[ryuuto]

I'd love to learn how to make mods of my own. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about learning how to do it? Are there any web sites or anything that I could go to start learning how. It's all a big mystery to me and I'd love to get in on playing around with it. I'd like to start simple like making my own crew icons for the hanger or something simple like that at first and work up from there. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

[Ress]

Lets see, in a nutshell, there are 2 sides default/vanilla game files (side A) and modifications/modified files (side B).
Take item from side A (default game files), change it and put it on side B (modification files).
DO NOT MODIFY INSIDE RES FOLDER, only take from it (as source).

Quick example with paths, since it's first thing you should understand.
vanilla file = Side A (res folder > example file path > res/gui/subfolder/example.png) (packages folder=res folder, you can see path when you open .pkg packages)
modified file = Side B1 (res_mods folder  > example path > res_mods/1.2.3/gui/subfolder/example.png)
modified file = Side B2 (mods folder > example path > mods/1.2.3/NAME.wotmod > example path inside > res/gui/subfolder/example.png)


I guess starting with .swf edits or simple png/dds replacements are good way to start and get familiar how things work.
Even if you are not familiar with python of actionscript languages.

tool you might need to start:
notepad++ (for general text editing)
7zip/winrar (to extract res/packages)
photoshop/gimp/paint.net (to edit png/dds images)
JPEXS Flash Decompiler (to decompile/compile swf files)

and you are good to start exploring/figuring out basics
ohh and TankIconMaker is mostly used to create contour/carousel/techtree icons (png images)

Don't know about any good up2date guides, but good read on koreanrandom modding section might help you understand things.

Just enable page auto translate and read on
Modmaking general discussion

Textures and 3D models

ActionScript & Python

 

[ryuuto]

Thanks for the help. I'll start from here and see where it takes me!